[au] Narnia and the North

[the_seafarer]

There's a chill bite to the air, these days. The horses have been growing out their winter coats, and they look shaggy and plump as Caspian turns them out into the paddocks. Behind the stables, in the makeshift woodshop he'd cobbled together, the sleigh from his drawings is starting to come together. 

He hopes he'll have it finished by Christmas. With a little luck, and maybe some assistance, he thinks it should be possible. The tack, he's largely left up to Susan's devices, though he'd commission Gimli the dwarf for the various buckles and other metal pieces they'll need.

Once the horses are turned out, he gets to his other morning chores with a will, whistling cheerfully as he does. The stable stays strangely quiet around him. It takes him the better part of an hour to realize the strangeness is because he's become accustomed to Susan's cheerful presence working alongside him, talking or humming or simply working in companionable silence. 

Caspian pauses in his task – refilling the grain chest – and looks around. Susan's nowhere to be seen, and when he later wanders through the stables, checking each stall and outside, he can't find her there, either.

Comments

[sai_delgado]

"The stories were true," Susan says, just as softly as before, but with a deep and abiding certainty in her words. "The realest ones always are, do'ee kennit? And thee believed them, and brought them back."

(a rose of perfect beauty)

She tugs at his hand to draw him to a stop, then reaches up to touch his cheek. "Thee are a good man, Caspian. And a good king, too."

[the_seafarer]

He comes to a halt as she tugs at him, then leans his cheek into her hand. "Thank you," he says, and curves his fingers over hers before he turns his head to press a kiss into her palm.

"You good opinion means a great deal to me, Su. And to see you here – my heart is so full it could burst."

[sai_delgado]

A faint shiver runs through her at the touch of his lips to her skin, and her smile is soft and warm.

She pulls her other hand free so she can rest it over his heart. "I'd not want it to burst," she teases, but oh, the look in the fog-gray eyes is as soft as her smile. "But I'm glad thee are happy."

[the_seafarer]

He curves his free hand over the one she's set so gently on his chest, and studies her. No sign of the shadows of earlier; her eyes are clear and her lips are sweetly smiling. "I'm glad thee are, too," he tells her, slipping into her own way of speaking, soft and fond.

He'll not leave her alone to face the darkness tonight, he promises himself. The thought of her light, now shining so brightly, dimming as it had earlier brings him real pain. "Sweet Susan."

[sai_delgado]

"Caspian. Thee very dear." Susan presses her hand to his heart for a moment longer, then turns her wrist so she can lace her fingers with his as her smile brightens.

"Yer ship is waiting," she teases, gently. "Will'ee not take us there?"

[the_seafarer]

"With a will, lady."

He takes her hand and holds it in his as he leads her through the gate that looks out to the east, over the sea. A white stone quay stretches out into the water, and at the end, the Treader floats, looking as bright and beautiful as the day they first set sail for the edge of the world.

He can't help himself. Drawn by the sound of wavelets on wood and stone, by the fresh scent of salt on the breeze, by the familiarity of the ship ahead, he laughs and breaks into a run, bringing Susan along with him.

[sai_delgado]

Her hair streams behind her as a golden banner blown by the wind of their passing as they run, and by the time they reach the ship, Susan’s delighted laughter fills the air around them.

She’s filled with happiness of her own at seeing Caspian’s joy, oh aye, and teases, “My ‘da always said the moon got into my blood when I’d run like that, but for thee it’s the sea, is’t not so?”

[the_seafarer]

"I believe you're right," he laughs. Their feet thud up the gangplank and then they're here, aboard the Treader, her brightwork gleaming, her paint fresh, her sails crisply rolled. At the top of the mast, a scarlet and gold pennant snaps in the wind.

Caspian tips his head back and turns, gazing and gazing upon his old ship. "I'll walk you through it all, we'll start at the stern – look, there's the dragon's tail that was snapped off in the battle with the sea monster – "

[sai_delgado]

“The one thee told me of, that wrapped around and squeezed?” He’s so excited and happy that it fills her heart to see it. Susan moves closer to his side and beams at him. “Show me everything, Caspian, do, please.”

[the_seafarer]

"The very same. And it was Reepicheep, you know, who at last devised a way to defeat it."

He shows her about the deck, encouraging her to run her fingers over this piece of brightwork or that coiled line, then brings her to steering so she can see the great polished wheel that set the Treader on her course. "She's much smaller than other ships, of course," he tells Susan, "but far too large to be steered with a tiller, as the Hope is."

[sai_delgado]

“She’s lovely,” Susan insists. She touches the side of the wheel, tracing her fingertips gently over the wood.

“I only ever knew fishing-boats before, and didn’t spend time on them, ye ken.”

[the_seafarer]

He watches as she studies the ship, his eyes aglow, then takes her hand and leads her through the hatch belowdecks. "This was the cabin that I shared with Edmund once they came aboard – I gave Lucy mine, it's back here –"

And yes, the little stern cabin is there, looking as bright and cheerful as ever, the gilded lion's head shining.

[sai_delgado]

“It’s so cozy and clever,” she marvels, admiring how everything is neatly set and secured for storms as well as calm seas. “And thee has the Lion, of course.”

[the_seafarer]

"Always."

Above them, the deck creaks. As Caspian looks up, the sound of boots on the planks comes an a rhythm that feels so familiar he could almost be back there, cruising towards the very edge of the world. "Someone else is here, it seems."

[sai_delgado]

She looks up as well, then glances sideways at Caspian. “Should we go up and meet them?”

She’d not seen anyone else before, but mayhap they’d been spotted from the castle, or sai Cornelius has come down.

[the_seafarer]

"Let's do."

He leads her from the cabin, walking easily through the lower deck until he can boost her up onto a ladder that will bring them up into the air, just amidships.

The newcomer stands at the bow, gazing out over the rail to the glittering sea beyond. He's dressed for a voyage, not in court finery, and his hair fails in soft brown waves to his shoulders. When he turns, they can see sun-faded blue eyes that are nevertheless as clear as the sky above, and a handsome face now weather-worn, permanent crinkles from squinting against glare tucked into the corners of his eyes.

Caspian utters a happy cry and steps forward to meet the man's crushing embrace. Unlike Cornelius, this is a human man, in his prime. He's taller than Caspian, and his voice, as he laughs and greets his king, is deep and warm. "Well, Sire, here you are. And the ship not ready yet for inspection."

"What utter nonsense," Caspian laughs, joyful. "She's never looked lovelier."

He steps back and holds his hand to Susan, encouraging her. "Susan, this is my dear friend, Lord Drinian, he who was Captain of the Treader on our journey to the East."

[sai_delgado]

She meets Drinian’s eyes, and for an instant is reminded of the keen desert-bleached blue of the first person after her death who’d recognized her, and who’d been kinder far than he had any need to be.

(Joe Manco is my name - do you maybe come from Gilead, miss?)

Susan’s sudden smile is bright and shining, as she drops into a graceful curtsey for all that she’s wearing jeans, and says, “I’m Susan Delgado, late of Hambry in Mejis, and it’s wonderful to meet ye, Lord-Captain, say true.”

[the_seafarer]

Drinian's sea-faded gaze lands on her, curious but not unkind. He glances at his King, then steps forward to lower himself to one knee, lifting Susan's hand to kiss her knuckles. "Greetings to you, Susan, Daughter of Eve," he says, as he rises. "And welcome here to His Country beyond the edge of the world."

[sai_delgado]

She's a little startled at the extent of the formality beyond the likes of the bow Reepicheep's used to greet her, but mayhap that's just how he prefers, although she can't think why he'd show her such honor.

"It's a wondrous place indeed," she says, trying to make her own manners even more proper. "And His Majesty were very kind to bring me here."

[the_seafarer]

Drinian's manners have flustered her, Caspian can see, but Susan Delgado has always been able to rise to the occasion, and indeed she does again now. He comes to stand beside her, a warm hand on her back. "Kind of you to indulge me, I think," he tells her, aware of Drinian's keen glance.

His Captain smiles, the sobers. "Sire, I hardly know how to ask," he says, carefully. "But in the time since I've been here, I've not seen your son...?"

Caspian's heart makes a queer shift in his chest, but he smiles. "And you shan't," he promises. "Not for a long while, I hope. For Rilian was returned to us, thanks to our dear friend Eustace."

[sai_delgado]

Rilian's return had happened very near the end of Caspian's life, she knows - enough time for a reunion, for him to be aware his son was alive and well, but not much more.

She leans a little into the touch of his hand, trying to comfort him as best she can, for it's clear to her from the way he's smiling that he doesn't wish to burden his friend with the grief he'd endured - grief they'd both endured, mayhap, for wouldn't Drinian have known Rilian too?

"He were safe," she tries to reassure, "when he were able to return home, and well."

[the_seafarer]

Drinian turns back to the railing, as if to look out over the water, but lifts his hand once and then again to his eyes. "I am very happy to hear that," he tells them, his voice a little thick. When he turns back, his eyes are wet but clear, and his smile warm.

"You've lightened my heart tremendously with this news."

[sai_delgado]

"Ye were close, then," she murmurs, even as her heart sinks, remembering the night when Rilian had appeared in the bar and had

(forgotten his father's face)

not known Caspian, nor even his own name. Such a thing will only hurt Drinian to hear, it's obvious, and she's certain-sure it'll hurt Caspian even more to tell it. She tries to think of a way to spin the tale in a different direction, and smiles back at Drinian, gentle and warm.

"Just as the two of ye must be, I wot, with all yer adventures on this beautiful ship. I've only heard a few of them, but enough to see that plain as plain." She casts a teasing glance at Caspian. "Is yer friend as much a mischief as thee are?"

[the_seafarer]

Drinian laughs, appreciative. "A mischief, eh? Sire, what pranks have you been pulling on this lady?"

"Pranks, none," Caspian says, amused. "Don't believe him, Su, he may look serious but he can cut up as well any."

[sai_delgado]

"He wouldn't be the first such I've known so," she tells Caspian, then nods to Drinian. "Aye, mischief, but no real troublesome capers."